ceful recluse. He insists repeatedly, until at last the Badger,
insulted by this grossness, and suffocated by the odour, decides to
move elsewhere and hollow a fresh palace. The Fox is only waiting for
this, and installs himself without ceremony.

The Vizcacha (_Lagostomus trichodactylus_) is a large Rodent
inhabiting a vast extent of country in the pampas of La Plata,
Patagonia, etc. Unlike most other burrowing species, the Vizcacha
prefers to work on open level spots. On the great grassy plains it is
even able to make its own conditions, like the Beaver, and is in this
respect, and in its highly-developed social instinct, among the two or
three Mammals which approach Man, although only a Rodent, and even in
this order, according to Waterhouse, coming very low down by reason of
its marsupial affinities.

The Vizcacha lives in small communities of from twenty to thirty
members, in a village of deep-chambered burrows, some twelve or
fifteen in number, with large pit-like entrances closely grouped
together, and as the Vizcachera, as this village is called, endures
for an indefinitely long period, the earth which is constantly brought
up forms an irregular mound thirty or forty feet in diameter, and from
fifteen to thirty inches above the level of the road; this mound
serves to protect the dwelling from floods on low ground. A clearing
is made all round the abode and all rubbish thrown on the mound; the
Vizcachas thus have a smooth turf on which to disport themselves, and
are freed from the danger of lurking enemies.

The entire village occupies an area of one hundred to two hundred
square feet of ground. The burrows vary greatly in extent; usually in
a Vizcachera there are several that, at a distance of from four to six
feet from the entrance, open into large circular chambers. From these
chambers other burrows diverge in all directions, some running
horizontally, others obliquely downwards to a maximum depth of six
feet from the surface; some of these galleries communicate with those
of other burrows.

On viewing a Vizcachera closely, the first thing that strikes the
observer is the enormous size of the entrances to the central burrows
in the mound; there are usually several smaller outside burrows. The
entrance to some of the principal burrows is sometimes four to six
feet across the mouth, and sometimes it is deep enough for a tall man
to stand in up to the waist.

It is not easy to tell what induces a Vizcacha t